Little-Used Freitas Scores Both Goals in Huge, Double-Overtime Win Over Cal Baptist

Thursday, October 27

Riverside, CA

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Senior midfielder Mitchell Garcia took the corner kick that resulted in Kevin Freitas's game-winning goal in the second overtime. Garcia and senior midfielder Cordero Young both got assists on the play.

Little-Used Freitas Scores Both Goals in Huge, Double-Overtime Win Over Cal Baptist

10/27/2011 3:37:00 PM | Men's Soccer

By: Joel Horn

Junior midfielder Kevin Freitas (Dallas, TX, North Canyon, Phoenix College), who had played just 87 minutes all season, scored both goals in the Grand Canyon University men's soccer team's 2-1, double-overtime win over California Baptist University in a Pacific West Conference showdown today in Riverside, Calif.

The Antelopes, ranked No. 5 in the West Region in both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the official NCAA Division II polls, improved to 12-3-1 overall, 9-1-1 in the PacWest. They have lost just once in their past 11 matches and have won five straight.

The Lancers, who were riding a five-match winning streak and are ranked No. 9 in the West Region in the NSCAA vote, dropped to 11-5-0, 8-2-0.

GCU vaults from third place in the PacWest to first. Cal Baptist now is tied with Hawai'i Pacific for third, behind Dixie State (8-4-2, 7-1-0), which was in fourth, provided the Red Storm beats Notre Dame de Namur at home tonight.

The 'Lopes have two games left in the regular season, against Cal Baptist at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at the GCU Soccer Field and at 5 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday vs. Dixie State in St. George, Utah.

Dixie State, which upset GCU 1-0 on Sept. 17 in Phoenix, has four games remaining -- home matches against the sixth-place Argonauts (8-6-0, 4-4-0) today and Saturday, the 'Lopes on Thursday and at Cal Baptist next Saturday, Nov. 5.

Hawai'i Pacific has just two games left, at home vs. last-place Chaminade (0-13-2, 0-9-1) and at fifth-place BYU-Hawai'i (8-6-1, 4-4-1) on Wednesday.

Cal Baptist also has two matches remaining, at GCU on Monday and at home vs. Dixie State next Saturday. It can win the PacWest title with wins over the 'Lopes and Red Storm.

GCU can win it with victories over the Lancers and Red Storm.

Cal Baptist got on the scoreboard first in the 41st minute when senior forward Osvaldo Bastida was driven to the middle and then cut back across the field before putting the ball in the net. It was the 10th goal of the season for Bastida, who ranks fourth in the PacWest in goals and fifth in goals per game. Sophomore forward Jonathan Fausto was credited with the assist.

The Lancers outshot the 'Lopes 10-4 in the first half. Two of CBU's shots were on goal vs. none for GCU.

GCU tied the match at 59:53 when Freitas, who entered the match just 68 seconds earlier, cleaned up a mess in front of the goal. It was the first goal of Freitas's GCU career. He also has one assist.

Five yellow cards were shown in the second half, three of them to the 'Lopes -- junior defender midfielder Brian Green (Phoenix, AZ, Thunderbird), freshman midfielder Yared Solscheid (Eagle, ID, Eagle) and junior midfielder Chris Green (Phoenix, AZ, Thunderbird). The Lancers who received yellow cards were junior midfielder Jonathan Garcia and sophomore midfielder/forward Alex Anderson.

Senior goalkeeper Adam Garcia (Avondale, AZ, Westview, Phoenix College, Gardner-Webb University) made a save on a shot by Anderson at 89:54 and the score remained 1-1 at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime.

It didn't take long for that to change. At 100:42, GCU took a corner kick. At 101:32, it took another. Junior midfielder Mitchell Garcia (Avondale, AZ, Agua Fria, Phoenix College) played a ball short to senior midfielder Cordero Young (Orlando, FL, Central Florida Christian Academy, Tyler Junior College), and then got it right back. He then bent a ball to the far post, where Freitas headed it just inside the post for the game-winner.

Garcia and Young both got the assists.

"The first 10 minutes of the game, we had two opportunities," GCU Head Coach Petar Draksin said. "Saeed Robinson (Portmore, Jamaica, Wolmers Boys School, Western Texas College) broke in with their goalkeeper one v. one from the left side and shot wide on the far post. We needed that goal to happen for us. It did not. Then Yared Solscheid made a beautiful pass to Tony Valera (Phoenix, AZ, Raymond S. Kellis, Phoenix College) inside the 18-yard box in front of their goal. Tony did not expect it, so we missed the opportunity.

"After that, Cal Baptist, being at home and an excellent team, took over the game by possession and opportunities. They scored their goal late in the first half. We came in at halftime down 1-0. We had to make some decisions at halftime. Do we stay the same or do we make changes? We made changes, and started to put some numbers forward and change our lineup."

"Obviously it worked for us. I understand that we got outplayed most of the first half, but I am very proud of our guys. Their energy level and competitive edge came out in the second half and especially in overtime. There were so many times that we were in the same position Cal Baptist was where we dominated a team for a portion of a game and still ended up losing 1-0. That's the beauty of this game. It's a chess match.

"I know, I'm not naive. Cal Baptist is a fantastic program. It will be a battle in the future, not only on Monday but also in years to come. It reminds me of the old days of the old CCAA where we played the Cal State Bakersfields and UC Davises of the world. Our conference is just growing and getting better and better, and that's exactly what I want and our program needs -- highly-committed programs to experience success. That's what makes us better, and definitely makes our conference one of the top conferences in Division II.

"Kevin Freitas, I can't say enough about him as a young man and as a soccer player. He could be starting for us, but he doesn't. His positive attitude and work ethic day in and day out are amazing. He never, ever once complains or shows any signs of being discouraged with his playing time. He plays his role incredibly well, and obviously he scored two key, fantastic goals to give our program a crucial win over Cal Baptist. Especially on the first goal, it was a scramble in front of Cal Baptist's goal. Kevin worked very very hard to get to the ball and buried it in the net. On the second goal, it was a set play and he put himself in the exact correct position where he needed to be on the far post to score the winning goal in overtime."

The 'Lopes were outshot 17-14, but had a 4-3 edge in shots on goal and seven corner kicks -- six of which were in overtime -- to the Lancers' six.

Twenty-one fouls were called, 11 of which were on Cal Baptist. Both keepers, Garcia and sophomore Joey Pacheco, made two saves. Garcia raised his season record to 12-3-1 with four shutouts.

GCU 2, Cal Baptist 1 2OT

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